Deep Purple
by dj89
Summary: She hadn't seen him in months. How could he be her only hope? She'd soon find out. Sequel to Dark Blue.
1. AnnMarie

A ring accompanied by a vibration broke through the silence of a deep sleep. Jolted awake, she looked around for her phone. Debating whether or not to throw it against the wall or answer it, she chose the latter and pressed the button.

"Eames."

"Is this Detective Alexandra Eames?" A male voice came over the phone.

"It's too early to tell." Eames wasn't sure where that came from but she definitely wasn't in the mood to apologize.

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm Alex Eames."

"Ms. Eames, my name is Michael Rutledge. I'm the warden at Queensboro Correctional Facility." As the words came out, Eames' sleepiness lifted and she was on high alert.

"What can I do for you?"

"I'm calling about a prisoner here, last name of Delgado. He was attacked yesterday during their recreational period."

"Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy." She chided. "What does that have to do with me?"

"He's asking for you." Alex didn't say anything. The warden continued. "He told me to tell you that he knows who really killed Joe Dutton."

In that moment, all of the air left Alex's body and she nearly fell off of her bed.

This was the longest drive of her life. A pretty bold statement considering the fact she was the one who had to tell her father his wife had died. _That was a horrible day. No. Not now. Stay focused._ She mentally scolded herself for allowing that memory to seep through. After debating whether or not to get out of the car, she entered the main check in area and identified herself.

"What is the purpose of your visit, Detective?" A man, mid-thirties, with short brown hair in an impeccably ironed uniform queried.

 _Wow. Was that ever a loaded question._ "I'm here to see a prisoner. Last name Delgado." Before the man could speak, Warden Rutledge appeared from behind the door.

"Detective. You're here early."

Refraining from giving him an answer, she chose to stay on point. "Is he ready?"

Rutledge nodded. "Follow me."

Alex did. Reluctantly and anxiously. With each step she took, he heart pounded against her sternum. _I can't do this. No, I have to. Joe would want me to get answers for him. No, he wouldn't. He's want me to move on. What am I doing?_ That last question would to have to wait as she found her footsteps stop before a door. "He's all yours." The warden opened the door.

Releasing a breath, she didn't know she had, she entered the room. The hair on her neck stood up as she looked at the man who took Joe away from her. "Hello, Detective."

"Delgado."

"Aw, come on. No hello back. Manners, Alexandra. Those are important."

"What do you want?" She wasn't going to play his game.

He leaned back in bed and folded his arms across his body. "So many things." His eyes travelled from the bedside table up to her eyes.

Fighting the urge to either throw up or punch this piece of trash square in the jaw, Eames steadied herself. "You have information on the Joseph Dutton case?"

Delgado smirked. "Maybe."

"Hm. Okay." Alex shrugs and begins to stand.

"Well, Detective, don't you want to catch a cop killer?" She sat back down.

"So, tell me then." She prodded. "Why do you care?"

His smirk disappeared. "What does it matter?"

That was the answer she had expected but not the manner in which he gave it to her. Now her interest was piqued. _Was he telling the truth? Did he really know who killed my husband?_

Just as Eames was about to reply, her cell phone rang. After summoning the guard to let her out, she answered. "Eames."

"Body found." A male voice came over the phone.

Eames listened to the details. "On my way." Without addressing the guard, she went to retrieve her things and headed for the crime scene.

While part of her was happy to be out of there, the rest of her was wondering just how much Delgado knows. _Assuming he's telling the truth._ She reminded herself. Pulling into the crime scene, Alex was met by a uniformed officer.

"What do we got?" Eames asked as she put on a pair of gloves.

The young lady began her report. "Female, approximately 18 to 20 years old was beaten to death in the apartment building's staircase." Flipping through her notes. "We still don't have an I.D. We've been canvasing the building, talking to the residents, but no one seems to know her or saw anything."

Alex laughed slightly. "They wouldn't tell us even if they did. They don't like us much." She motioned her head towards a cracked door behind the officer. An older woman, who as peeking through the door, quickly shut it the moment she knew she had been caught.

"Detective." A man called out for Eames. "We found something." He handed her a wallet. "I think it's hers."

"The picture matches." The female officer chimed in. They hadn't noticed their lead detective lose all the color in her face. She read the name over and over again. 'AnnMarie Delgado.'

 **A/N: Hey, guys! Sorry it's been so long. Life is crazy. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you liked it. Unlike my previous story, I will more than likely not be able to update as quickly as I did before. Working and going to school tends to stifle one's creativity and take away time to write. However, I do have some ideas and can't wait to share them with you. Please read and review.**


	2. Author's Note

Hey guys! I just wanted to let everyone know I haven't forgotten about this story. Life's been crazy. I have a few days coming up where hopefully I won't be so busy. I'm not making any promises but I will try to post a new chapter then. Thank you for being patient.

-dj89


	3. Second Guessing

Walking into the precinct, Alex began rehearsing her lines. _He knows about me and Joe. He'll want to take me off this case. I don't know why but I want to see this through. '_ He' being the captain. Captain Joseph Hanna was a friend of her husband's so in turn he knew about their marriage. He also knew how much she had changed when he died. _Surely, he would understand her need for this._

"Detective Eames." She heard her name and looked up. "Can I see you in my office, please?" There it was; the conversation she had been dreading. Her captain wanted to see her. She made her way into his office and closed the door behind her. "Sit down, Eames."

She followed his request and pulled out the chair to sit down. "What do you need, sir?" She inquired, trying to remain calm.

"The homicide you just caught, you get a positive I.D.?"

"Yes, sir. AnnMarie Delgado."

Hanna nodded. "Cause of death?"

"Looks like blunt force trauma to the head. She was dead before she went down the stairs." Alex maintained eye contact with her superior.

A silent pause descended over the room. The captain turned to face window causing his back to be towards Eames. Finally, he spoke. "You went Queensboro." It was more a statement than a question.

"I did." Eames kept it simple.

"To see Delgado." The captain, still facing the window, put his hands in his pants pockets.

Alex let her silence be the answer.

"Any relation to our victim?" Hanna kept the conversation going.

"Brother and sister." Eames felt the words leave her faster than she intended. Her captain sighed.

"Alex," Hanna faced her. "give me one good reason as to why I shouldn't take you off this case." There was no malice in the question. Alex looked him directly in the face."

I'm investigating the murder of AnnMarie Delgado. Nothing more. Nothing less."

"He claims to have information about Joe."

"I do not blame her for the actions of her brother." Hanna caught the tone in which Alex gave her answer. He exhaled slowly.

"You can keep the case." Alex stood to leave. "One condition," Eames froze. "the moment I see this getting to you, you're done. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." This time she walked away.

As she made her way to her car, her thoughts were racing. _I_ _still have the case. I have to stay focused. What if I can't? Does this have anything to do with Joe?_ "No." When she realized she had said that out loud, Alex took a deep breath. _I don't know why I'm doing this._ She entered the vehicle, clicked her seat belt and started the car. She was headed to the one person she knew could help. The question is, would he?

 **A/N:** Hey guys! I am so sorry for the wait. It's been way too long since I've posted anything. I know this chapter is short. This scene popped in my head and I had to write before it left me. Anyway, hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy!


	4. A Friend in Need

Eames walked the long familiar hallway to the lecture hall. Her heart raced faster and faster with each step. The recognizable voice of the man she was looking for began to fill her ears. For whatever reason, her body relaxed. Her footsteps became less frantic as she quietly entered the class through the open door. She leaned up against the wall in the back of the room and listened.

The class size was smaller than the last one. _Wonder why that is? Why does it matter? Wait, that's not important._ She shrugged off the unnecessary train of thought yet welcomed the distraction from the previous one. She focused in on what was going on.

"Motivation. How would you define it?" Dr. Robert Goren. The smartest and, undoubtedly, the most complicated man she's ever met queried his students. A young, brunette raised her hand. Bobby acknowledged her.

"It's what gets us to do something." There was a hint of doubt in her answer. Goren smiled slightly.

"Ok. Good." The woman smiled back. "Anyone else?" Alex saw some them visibly sink into their chairs. No doubt, Bobby saw it too. "Anyone?" Silence. No one answered. "Oh, come on, guys. You all are supposed to be my smartest class." A hue of sarcasm was evident but the intent was clear.

"Inner drive." A voice cut through the lingering silence. Goren's habitual pacing slowed to a stop. He turned ans searched for the source.

 _There he goes._ She recognized that look. _He's reading them._ His eyes stopped at a blonde male sitting in the third-row diagonally to where Alex was standing. "Hm."

As he put his arms behind his back, Eames folded hers across her body. _This is gonna be good._

"Interesting. Inner drive. It's a funny thing. It can swing us to do or not to do something." His pacing started up again. "To be or not to be." His faux British accent was received with snorts and chuckles. "Some people think that those who do not achieve in life do not have this 'inner drive', but what if I were to tell you, we all have it?" The same students who had disappeared into themselves during his question were now listening intently to the professor's every word and waiting for his next epiphany. "It's really just a matter of you deciding what to do with it. Whether or not you apply is entirely up to you." With that, the familiar sound of his alarm sounded and his pupils began to pack up their things. "Remember, projects are due Monday. No extensions or exceptions."

Goren was gathering up his materials into his trusty binder when he heard a voice behind him. "You still have that thing?" He smirked. He knew who it was even before he turned around.

"Yeah, I do." He was grinning from ear to ear. Eames took in his appearance. He had slimmed down and was clean shaven. His hair was shorter but his natural curl was still visible. He looked fantastic. "What can I do for you, Detective?"

Alex shook her head. "What is it gonna take to get you to call me Alex, huh?"

Bobby chucked. "Seriously, what are doing here?" There was no malice just an honest question. An understandable one too.

She sighed. "I need your help."


	5. Speechless

Dr. Robert Goren, the man who always had an answer, was speechless. He would've never imagined Alex Eames would sound so helpless. After recovering from the shock, he spoke. "What do you need?"

Alex took a deep breath and began to plead her case. "AnnMarie Delgado was murdered last night. Someone tuned her up pretty bad and left her at the bottom of the stairs of her apartment building."

Goren listened to her story. It sounded like a straight forward murder investigation.

"Her brother is Manny Delgado." Her body tensed as his name came across her lips. Bobby was silent even though Alex knew he had noticed. Grateful, she continued. "He's in prison for killing a cop." She didn't need to say anything else. Bobby put the pieces together pretty quick. _Joe._

"What can I do?" Goren asked sincerely.

Eames relaxed slightly. "Delgado claims he has new information about the case. I went to see him." She tensed again at the admission. "Then, his sister turns up dead."

"You think they are related?" Bobby questioned. Eames answered with a shrug. "I'm still not quite sure of why you're here."

"I need fresh eyes on this. I don't want to miss anything and-" Alex paused nervously. "I trust you."

For the second time that day, Bobby was at a loss for words. It had been so long since anyone had told him that.

"I'm in."

Alex, who had been avoiding eye contact, looked directly at Bobby. Relief flooded through her.

"When do you want me to start?"

"I'm still waiting for forensics to come back. I'm gonna call them." Eames went out into the hallway. Goren smiled. Her confidence was back.

"Alright. Thanks. They have finished their report." Eames turned to face Goren who had followed her out into the hallway. "I'm heading back. Your house at 6 o'clock?"

"Works for me."

Eames nodded. It took all she had not to take of running to her vehicle. _He's actually going to help me. Maybe, just maybe, I can finally put this behind me for good._

 ** _A/N: Hey everyone. Hopefully y'all are doing okay. I just typed this in class during an extremely boring lecture. Apologies for any typos._**


	6. Deja Vu

Bobby was brewing a fresh pot of coffee when the doorbell rang through the house. He checked the time and chuckled. _Six o'clock. Right on the button. Some things never change._

"Eames." He spoke as he opened the door. "Punctual as usual." She smirked as she nodded in response. She walked in and he took her coat. Her gaze tracked around his home. He had even more books than before. _Was that even possible? At least its more organized than before._ Her eyes drifted to the table on the far side of the couch. She sighed inwardly. _Bottle of scotch._ It worried for some reason.

"Coffee?" The professor's question took her out of her concern.

"Please." She politely answered.

Clasping his hands together in one swift motion Bobby spoke. "Where should we start?"

"Here." Alex held out the Delgado file and switched it for the cup Bobby offered her. The sat down at the table and dug in.

Goren began to jot down notes as he went through the paperwork. Eames watched as he circled, underlined, and reinforced his writing in his notes. She was going over the forensic report for what seemed like, at least to her, was the hundredth time when she noticed his writing had stopped. "What?"

"This was a professional job."

Eames took a drink from her coffee. "How can to tell? There's bruises everywhere."

Bobby wrung he hands in front of his face as he rested his elbows on the table. "That's just it. They are too scattered."

"Someone was trying too hard." Eames stated, catching on to his track of thinking. Goren nodded in affirmation. He began to shift restlessly in his chair. "Spit it out, Goren." The hand wringing continued but the fidgeting stopped.

"Was-was she killed before or after you got the phone call?"

Alex checked the paperwork she was holding. "After."

"Hm." He was trying not to make eye contact with her and she noticed.

"Bobby?" She wasn't sure if she wanted to know what he was getting at.

"They're trying to shut him up."

"Who?"

Goren paused. He had to phrased his next statement very carefully. Once the words came out, there was no going back. "Whoever really killed your husband."

A loud rushing sound filled Alex's ears. "Manny Delgado killed Joe." Her tone was flat causing Bobby's fidgeting to return.

"I'm not saying he's innocent, Eames. I'm just saying I think others may be involved."

"No. Manny Delgado killed Joe during a drug buy. Nothing less. Nothing more." She stood as she finished speaking.

"Eames."

"This is ridiculous. This is about who killed AnnMarie Delgado." She turned to leave. Goren got up and followed her.

"Wait, Eames, I'm sorry. Please, stay. We can keep looking through the evidence. See if what else we can find." If Alex wasn't so furious with what just happened she would have noticed the panic beginning to rise in Bobby. "Come on, Alex." He reached out to her. The moment his fingers touched her arm, she violently jerked away causing Goren to flinched back as though he had been burned.

"Dr. Goren, I appreciated you taking the time, but I got it from here." Her eyes were cold. Just like all the months ago when they first met. Old fears began to form in Bobby's being. All he could do was watch as she walked out the door.

An eternity later, he found himself in a familiar situation; staring listlessly out his living room window. Goren had called her several times and each time her voicemail greeted him. Taking another drink of his scotch, he turned toward the couch. Swaying, he gradually made his way over and flopped down on the center cushion. _Way to go, man. You've done it again. You've ruined everything._

Eames entered her home and threw her coat aimlessly away from her. The ride home was filled with anger, hatred and grief. Now, all she felt was sadness and guilt. _He was just trying to help me._ Once she had calmed down, the look on his face was all she could think about. _Unguarded fear._ She sighed. _Get it together, Alex. You told the captain you could handle it and that's what you're gonna do._ She hoped.

In the silence of her misery, her phone rang. She took a breath. "Eames."

 **A/N: Hi everyone! Its been awhile but I have good news. I have finally graduated which means I now have time to starting writing again. I can't wait to get started. Thank you to everyone for your patience and reviews. Keep them coming!**


	7. Seriously?

Standing the captain's office, Alex didn't know whether she should be nervous, concerned or anxious. The one thing she was though, was clueless. Alexandra Eames did not like that feeling. The phone call was an ominous one. She was told to report to his office at 8 AM the next morning. Now here she sat with not even an hour of sleep to her name. She didn't even attempt to go to her bed. The night was spent sitting on the couch thinking of the life she could've had and didn't. Her phone ringing every once in a while. She didn't have to look. The detective knew who it was. _Bobby._ He had called her multiple times. _Eight to be exact._ He didn't leave a voicemail, however. _You'd think he'd at least apologize._ For what she didn't know. _Maybe him not saying anything was his apology. You know how Bobby is. He can articulate anything except his own emotions._ It was on that thought her mind chose to rest. The look on his face as she left stuck to her like glue. Then, the realization hit her. _He hadn't meant to hurt me. He did what I asked him to do. When did this get so complicated?_

The door opens behind her and she shakes the thoughts of the professor away and focuses in the on the task in front of her; not getting kicked off this case. Her captain looked her over. A familiar question shining in his eyes. _Great. I know that look._

"Detective, are you getting any sleep?" The way he spoke conveyed his concern as a friend as well as a superior.

"No." Alex knew better than to lie. She'd been caught. "I've been working."

"Uh huh." Hanna answered with a raised eyebrow. "How's it coming?"

"I went and saw a friend to get a new perspective." She didn't mention his name but Captain Hanna had a feeling he knew who she was talking about. "He thinks her murder may have something to do with what Manny was going to tell me." She rushed through the sentence hoping, almost praying, that he wouldn't question her on it. _So much for that._ Eames thought as her superior spoke.

"Does it?"

Alex tightened her grip on the chair she occupied as she carefully responded. "I don't know." The words shocked her almost as much as they shocked Hanna.

He shook his head. "I'm taking you off this case." A feeling Alex couldn't identify took over her senses. She all but jumped out of her seat.

"You can't." _Desperation. Yeah, that was it. Desperation. The ice cold Detective Alexandra Eames was absolutley and unequivocally desperate._

"Detective." He looked her in the eye. Sighing, he dipped his head slightly towards his chest. He hated seeing Eames this way. "Alex. You are too close to this. Being objective is important and clearly your objectivity is lacking."

Her body tensed again and her gaze bore into him. "I am the only one who can solve this case and you know it." Eames' words were sharp and appeared to hit there mark as Hanna backed away slightly.

"Which one are you solving, Eames? AnnMarie's or Joe's?" No malice was present in his tone but the question was fair. Alex hated to admit it but it was true. _Joe or AnnMarie? AnnMarie or Joe? Why can't it be both?_

"AnnMarie Delgado's murder is the only one that needs to be solved. Joe's killer is rotting in Queensboro." Alex didn't know who she was trying to convince more. Herself or Hanna. Either way, it better work. She wanted this case. _No, she needed this case._

The latter slouched and took his place in his chair. "Go back to your desk, Detective." He waved with is hand in dismissal towards the squad room. Alex, still not sure if she had lost the case, did as she was told.

Hanna rubbed a weary hand down his face. _8 in the morning and I already need a break and a strong drink. I hope this isn't a mistake._ He picked up the phone and dialed. It rang three times before a gruff voiced came over the line.

Eames sat at her desk. On the outside, she looked like the always calm, some would say stoic, detective. Focused and driven. Underneath, she was falling apart. _Duck on a pond._ That's how her father described her. Her mind racing at a speed she never though possible. _What have done? What am I going to do? What is wrong with me? I need to calm down and focus. Why can't I focus? What is happening? What is wrong with me._ One thought was folding into the next with none of them pausing for the answer until her name bounced into her ears. She looked up. Hanna motioned her back into his office. He motioned towards the seat she had previously been sitting in. Eames opted to stand and closed the door behind her. She braced herself. _Here it comes._

The silence was loud and definitely too long for Alex's liking. "You can stay on the case." Eames visibly relaxed. Hanna took note. "With one condition." The relaxation quickly faded. "You're working with a partner." Alex looked at him. He wasn't joking. At all.

Her eyes narrowed. She hadn't worked with a partner in years. No one wanted too. _Who would be stupid enough the say yes to that?_ Then it hit her. _Seriously?_


	8. What Did I Do to Deserve This?

Upon the realization that the question she had asked herself had actually been asked out loud, she chose to ask the question. "Seriously, why do I need a partner? I've worked dozens of cases without one."

"True. But how many of them involved your husband?" Alex couldn't shake the logic.

"What time will Dr. Goren be here?" Careful not to call him Bobby, Eames asked her next question. Hanna looked up at her with curiosity. She shrugged to convey just how obvious it was. He smirked.

"He didn't say. I think I woke him up." Alex wasn't sure if he meant to say that last part out loud and to be honest, the captain didn't really know either. Regardless, Alex went back to her desk preparing herself for the great and all knowing Dr. Robert Goren.

Pretending to look through files became increasingly difficult to do as the minutes ticked by. Alex didn't know why but her body had begun to vibrate the moment she sat down. _What is wrong with me?_ That question was becoming more and more prominent and Eames could definitely say she wasn't happy about it. Before she could put her finger on it, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. The feeling of eyes on her filled her senses and she knew she had to get out of there. Alex knew she was being paranoid but at his particular moment, she could care less. She quickly stood, grabbed her coat and made a beeline for the elevators, not bothering to make eye contact with anyone who came into her path. What she didn't know was someone was waiting for her outside.

The drive into the city had been a long one and not just because of the unbelievable traffic. The self-interrogation he was currently experiencing was not a friendly one. _She doesn't want my help. Of course she does. Why would she come over if didn't. I hurt her. She walked out. Story of my life. Wait. Stop. Don't go there._ Shaking his head as if it would make the musings stop. He should've known better. _Joe called you. He's her captain. It's not that big of a stretch. It is, though. If she wanted my help, it would've been her call that woke me up, not Joe's. But it wasn't. She doesn't want my help. She needs it. Yeah, she does. Alex Eames hates asking anyone for help. But she did. She asked for mine and I hurt her. Hurt her. Yeah, that's me. I hurt everyone eventually._ Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, he slid the other one down his face and sighed. "Why did I have to pick up the phone?"

He was startled by a guard standing at the gait of the parking garage. "Sir?"

Not realizing he had already made it to the parking structure, he gained some composure and spoke to the man. "Um, Captain Joseph Hanna told me he left a parking pass for me." He showed his ID.

After verifying what he'd been told, he hands the pass through the window. "Here ya go, Dr. Goren."

Bobby nodded and drove away.

Pulling into the space he'd been given, Goren inhaled deeply then exhaled slowly. He turned his engine off and exited the vehicle. His plan to rehearse what he was going to say to Eames was derailed when he saw her come around the corner. Ducking behind his SUV, he waited. Wondered. Waited some more. _What do I do? What I am doing? I'm acting like I'm in high school. It's just Eames._ But she isn't just Eames. This was Alex. Part of the very minute group of friends he had at the moment. He didn't want to screw it up like he had done in the past. The next words out of his mouth to her had to be perfect. Choosing to stay hidden, he remained in place as she passed by.

Eames, who was in her own world, didn't notice the pair of eyes following her every step. She was praying she wasn't stopped on her way out. Her prayer was answered as she made it to her car. Slowly, climbing in, she allowed herself to release the breath she'd been holding for what felt like her whole life. _I just need to get out here. Out of my head. I am not Alex. I am Detective Eames, first grade._ She steeled herself inside and out. If anyone was around they would have seen it. The wall come up and Alex Eames get pushed down below a carefully constructed maze of walls and doors. Here she would hide until the work was done. Eames held on to the hope that those walls wouldn't crack under the ever watchful eye of one Dr. Robert Goren.

Bobby snuck to the elevator and rode up to Joe's office. Controlling his breath, he ran over scenarios in his brain. Confident he was prepared, he exited the elevator and headed for Hanna's office. Hanna welcomed him in when he knocked. "Bobby." Joe greeted him with a pat on the back and a smile.

Bobby saw it as a smile of relief. "Hey, Joe." Goren glanced at him, briefly making eye contact. His friend noticed and took in his appearance.

"You look like crap." No malice or judgement. Just a statement. "You get any sleep?"

"Slept like a rock." Goren answered. _If a rock consumed an impressive amount of scotch before passing out on the sofa. Then, yeah, like a rock._

The captain scoffed but let it go. _Bobby isn't as a good of a liar as he likes to think he is. Sometimes._

Hanna and Bobby sat down on opposite sides of the desk. They went over the information Eames has given her captain earlier. Goren was nodding and taking notes in his ever present binder. Once the rundown was over, Joe asked a question. "What do you think?"

Bobby opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a knock on the door. Hanna gestured to him with his pointer finger as if to say 'hold that thought'. "Enter."

Goren looked up and felt the air get sucked out of the room. "One of the guys said he saw Dr. Goren come up here." She kept eye contact with Hanna. Never once looking at Bobby.

"Yeah. We've been looking over the case." He motioned for Alex to sit. She sat in the chair beside Bobby but angled her body to lean away from him. It didn't go unnoticed.

"Hello, again, Eames." He smiled slightly.

Her gaze finally, and suddenly, turned to his. "Doctor." She nodded.

Bobby suppressed the shuddered that tempted his body as he felt a chill flow down his spine. _Not Bobby or Goren. Not even Dr. Goren. Just Goren._ Of all the scenarios he had thought through, this wasn't one of them. Goren looked into her eyes and saw nothing. Absolutely nothing. With that, an all to familiar question leaked into his head. _What did I do to deserve this?_


	9. Realizing Too Late

You didn't have to be a captain in law enforcement to notice the chill that rolled into the room when Eames and Goren made eye contact so, of course, this one knew something was different. What? He didn't know.

"Please sit, Detective." The captain gestured to the chair in front of his desk and beside Bobby. She obliged but turned the chair so that its angle put a distance between her and the doctor. The move didn't get past Goren who suppressed the urge to fold inward.

"Continue, please, Dr. Goren." The ice queen had returned and all Bobby could was watch and wonder what he had done.

 _Focus, you idiot. No one cares how screwed up you are. The quicker you give your findings, the quicker you can get out of here and never see Detective Eames again._

"Her injuries seem to be staged. The places where the bruising occurred suggests that the assailant was trying to inflict the least amount of damage but still try and get their point across."

"This was a shake down." Hannah spoke up.

Bobby brought his hands together causing his fingers to meet his lips. "Her death was an accident." His hands came down and his left leg bounced with purpose up and down. "She was supposed to be scared. But- " He cut himself off. _This how I got here. Just stop. Stop talking._

His friend wasn't going to let it go though. "But what?"

Bobby hesitated. With a quick inhale of air he replied. "I don't think she was the main target."

Hannah leaned forward in his chair. "Get to the point, Bobby."

"I-I-I think sh-she was attacked to scare her brother off." He stole glance in Alex's direction. To anyone else, the seasoned detective gave no reaction but Bobby, he saw it. The hurt, pain, and anger burst through her eyes before she clamp down the wall.

"Her brother?" Hannah wasn't following. _Where is he going with this?_

"Manny Delgado has information. Information about J-J-Joseph D-Dutton's murder." Goren stuttered his way through his reasoning. His subconscious was running a sprint. The bouncing his leg had been doing intensified. The captain turned to his detective.

"Eames, what do you think about all this?" Alex, who had been almost glaring at Bobby since he said her late husband's name, shifted her eyes to her boss.

"I'll take his opinion into consideration, Captain. This case is gonna go where it's gonna go. Right now, I'm gonna investigate the murder of AnnMarie Delgado. Nothing less and nothing more." She paused a moment. "If there's nothing else, I like to continue doing my job." Eames stood up. The captain sighed and dismissed her with his hand. Alex turned away from Goren and exited the office. Not once did she look back.

Joe watched her sit behind her desk and make a phone call. He then shifted his attention to his friend. Not surprisingly, he wasn't comforted by what he saw. Bobby was chewing on his thumb with his head leaning away from the door and gazing at an imaginary point on the wall. _Crap._ He knew that look. He's seen before. _He's retreating. Yeah, something definitely happened._

Hannah walked around to the other side of his desk and sat with one leg propped up on it and the other planted on the floor right in front of Goren. "Bobby." No reaction. "Hey, Bobby."

The man in question jerked his head in the captain's direction. "Yes?"

"You wanna tell me what happened?"

Bobby looked at him like he had three heads. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Uh-huh." Joe smirked. "Try that again but with more feeling." Bobby looked at him a look of feigned confusion. "Look, you can't tell me you don't know when you walk in here hungover." His friend's eyes darted to the floor. "I notice things too."

"Nothing happened, Joe. Okay?" Bobby stood up and made for his exit. The energy coming off of this man could blow up at any moment. Joe had to tread lightly. He chose to keep going.

"Come on, man. I know you. What happened?" Goren didn't turned around. Joe reached out and grabbed his shoulder. Goren flinched hard causing Hannah to almost fall into his desk.

"Sorry. I-I-I gotta go." His head jerking in every direction. A thoughts racing again. "S-Sorry." Bobby ran towards the stairs not caring who saw him as he did and leaving Hannah with even more concern for his former partner and friend.

What he didn't see, however, was Eames. She saw it all. All of it. It was then she realized it. _She had caused the one man in the world who could and would help her to break all over again._ The freshly formed ice that covered her heart began to melt away. She took off to the parking garage but Bobby was nowhere to be found. _I'm too late._ She was alone again.

 **A/N: Hi everyone! Long time no see. I hope everyone is okay with all the craziness that's going on. Apologies for the incredibly long wait. I think I've finally got time to write. At least for a little while anyway. So, hopefully you are not too mad at me and that this was worth the wait. Enjoy and stay safe guys!**


	10. Truce

Standing in the parking lot, the blonde detective felt defeated. _This is my fault. No one else's. He's the only who can help me and I've pushed him away. Again. I'm so stupid._

The self incriminating barrage continued until she forced herself to shut it down. _There's a way to fix this. I just have to talk to him. I think. But what do I say?_ Eames returned to her desk to grab her keys and jacket and headed out to do what seemed like the impossible. Change Dr. Robert Goren's mind.

That last question stuck with her. What does she say? _Hey, you know how I asked for your help and then attacked you? Yeah, well, will you still help me?_ She shook her head. _How pathetic._

With five minutes left until she reached her destination, her cell phone rang. "Eames."

"Detective, where are you?" _Very good, Alex. You took off and didn't tell the captain where you were going._

Trying not to let on something was wrong, she responded. "I'm meeting up with Dr. Goren. We're going over some things." Technically, it wasn't a lie but it still made her uncomfortable. When Hannah didn't answer, she felt it even more so.

"Just be careful."

"I will." The uncomfortable feeling morphed into annoyance.

"I mean it, Alex." _Alex? Not Detective or Eames. Alex. This was Joe talking. Not Captain Hannah._

Eames pulled in front of Bobby's house. She turned off the engine. Sighing, she spoke. "Ok."

Satisfied, Hannah's tone became more authoritative. "Keep me posted, Detective."

"Yes, sir." The call ended and Eames took a breath. _I can do this. I have to do this._

Steeling her resolve, she exited her vehicle and headed towards the front door. The doctor was home. His car was in the driveway and a small light shown through a window on the side of the house. _Probably from the kitchen._ Anxiety, fear, and apprehension fought with the courage Alex was beginning to lose as the door got closer. _Here goes nothing._ The detective knocked. _No turning back now._ She waited.

The other side of the door wasn't much better. The small home was filled with static electricity. The air was charged with self loathing, guilt, scotch and cigarettes. All of this emanating from one man. Bobby Goren. He was pacing from one end of the kitchen to other as fast as his inebriated feet could take him with a half empty glass of scotch in his left hand. _I should've known better. How could anyone want anything from me? I'm broken. Useless and broken. My mother was right. She said it enough times. I should have figured it out by now._ He stopped his pacing long enough to take another drink. Just as he started up again, he heard a knock at the front door. He sat his glass and slowly made it the door. _This had better be good._

Bobby opened the door to find Detective Alexandra Eames on the other side. _I can't believe this._ Looking eye to eye, Alex was the first to speak. "Hi."

Goren huffed. "What are you doing here?"

Eames shoved her hands in her pockets. "I was hoping we could talk."

He didn't know if he really wanted to talk to her too or if it was the half a bottle a scotch he had killed, but he felt his feet move his frame to the side allowing the detective inside. Before Alex could speak, the smell of alcohol and smoke slammed into her. _This is all my fault._ Her eyes followed him into the kitchen where he grabbed his glass from the table. Turning to her, he spoke. "You wanted to talk. So, talk, Detective."

"Maybe I'll come back when you're not so 'busy'." She hadn't meant for it to sound accusatory but that's how Bobby took it.

He laughed humorlessly. "If you have something to say, then just say it." Sipping from the glass, his eyes bore into Alex.

She took a breath before speaking. "I'm sorry."

Bobby didn't say anything. He just turned to refill his now empty glass.

"I'm sorry." Eames said it again. "I shouldn't have acted the way I did." She paused to gauge his reaction. _He hasn't kicked me out yet. That's a start._ "I came to you for help. You only did what I asked you to do. It's just-" Alex's breath caught. _Now for the hard part. I don't want to share my feelings. I don't even know what my feelings are anymore. I owe him, though._ "Joe is a difficult subject for me. Most of the time I'm okay. Other times, this feeling comes over me and all I know is I have to bury it before I suffocate."

"I know." It was so quiet that she thought she imagined it.

"What?" The word was more exhaled than spoken.

"I know what that feels like." Goren kept his eyes trained on the floor. "Every thing around you starts to run in slow motion and then a loud rushing sound makes your ears ring so loud you can't hear anything else. Its hard to focus or even breath."

Alex stood frozen in shock. _This man continues to amaze me. How does he know how to describe what I'm feeling?_

Bobby must've read her mind. "I've felt that way a few times. Not in a while though. Then, you-" He stopped mid-sentence. _Knock it off, Bobby. She doesn't care._

"Then I what?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Clearly, it does or would't have started to tell me."

Bobby rocked back and forth on his heels. "It really doesn't." He gulped the rest of his drink.

"Come on, Goren. How am I supposed to fix this when you won't tell me what I did?" _Ok. That wasn't supposed to be said out loud, but there it is._ Eames took a couple steps towards him but for every step she made forward, he took backward causing the kitchen table to now be a barrier between them.

"Eames, please don't." He was almost begging.

"Bobby, I-" That was it. Before she even blinked, Bobby slammed his glass down on the table with such force the glass broke in his hand. Alex was surprised the table didn't break with it. There were two ragged breaths before he palmed the contents on the table and violently slung them onto the floor.

"Do you really want to know, Detective? Fine. I'll tell you. You were the first person in years that I felt I could trust. That I felt completely comfortable around." He was nearly screaming. His eyes no longer dimmed by alcohol but lit up with intense emotion. "And then you come to me. You come to me, of all people, needing help. The idiot that I am, I chose to be honest. To be my true self and give you my unfiltered opinion. And what do you do? You decide you made a mistake. That you don't need my help. That you don't need me. I'm used to people writing me off, Eames. That doesn't hurt me. Not anymore. But with you?" Bobby exhaled hard. It was like his rant had been done in one never ending breath.

Alex didn't know what to say. Sure she was hurt but she never thought he had all of this hold up inside him. She wanted to comfort him. To tell him it was all her and her failings. Not him. Not at all. She didn't get the chance. The doctor looked wearily up at her.

"I'm going to bed. Stay or go. I don't care either way." He scrubbed his face with both hands. Amazingly, there was no blood from the glass that lay splintered on the floor. He swayed down the hall and into his bedroom. The door closed. Effectively cutting himself off from the world and from Alex.

Alex looked around the room. _I guess that's what the captain meant by 'be careful'."_ For the first time in a very long time, Detective Alexandra Eames was uncertain of what she should or shouldn't do. The one thing she was sure of, though, was she wasn't about to leave him alone tonight.

She kept her mind occupied by cleaning up the mess left by their conversation. _Conversation? Yeah, that what's we're going to go with._ Other than an occasional snore, Bobby was quiet. Eames found herself thankful for that. She knew he was hurt, maybe even angry but she hadn't expected what she got. Wounded. Dr. Robert Goren was wounded.

Once the mess was deposed of, Alex melted into the couch. Using her coat as a blanket, she fell into a not so restful sleep. Images of Joe, Manny and Bobby swam through her dreams.

Six hours later, Eames opened her eyes. Shaking her head to help her realize where she was, Alex decided she might as well cook some breakfast. Using her 'detective skills', she found a few skillets, spatulas, and discovered bacon and eggs in the refrigerator. She smiled as she remembered her mother making this same meal for her father when he came home late.

When the food was almost done, Bobby came from around the corner. He cleared his throat to alert Alex to his presence. She nodded. "Good morning."

"Morning." He mumbled in return.

 _At least he's speaking to me._ "You hungry?" She was going for two in a row.

He paused for minute then answered. "I could eat, I guess."

"Then, help me set the table." Goren did as he was told.

The silence was deafening. She couldn't take it anymore. "Bobby, are we okay?" The question spilled out from her. Bobby turned and looked at her.

"Yeah, we're okay." Alex looked at him for a moment. Then, she wiped her hands of with a towel she had sitting on the counter.

"Truce?" She held her right hand out to him. Relief would be an understatement to how she felt when she saw the patented Bobby Goren boyish grin grace his features.

He shook her hand. "Truce."

The two sat down to eat. This time the silence was comfortable.

It was short lived, however, when Eames cell phone rang. She excused herself from the table, then answered it with her back turned to Bobby. He wasn't worried until he spotted the change in her posture. Choosing not to say anything, he waited for her to speak first.

Eames sat back down and sighed. "That was the warden." Bobby tilted his head as if to say 'I'm listening'. "Manny Delgado was found hanging in his cell."

Suddenly, no one had an appetite anymore.


End file.
